Balls-up or Oval-shaped? Which tsukune do you prefer?
“Tsukune” is one of the popular yakitori (bite-sized grilled chicken on skewers) dishes in Japan. Its name originates from “tsukuneru” : a Japanese verb that means “to knead.” Three small chicken meatballs are skewered and grilled with salt or tare (a special sauce for yakitori, which is made from soy sauce, sugar, and sake). The small ball bursts and explodes the hot meat juice explodes with delicious flavors in one’s mouth. It goes well with mustard.
Although tsukune has been traditionally shaped like a small ball since it was created in the Meiji period (1868–1912), a big oval-shaped tsukune has become popular these days. The latter is very popular among the youths, and some of them even had not heard of the former. Because it has a bigger portion, one can enjoy the feeling of filling one’s mouth as if eating a hamburger. I, a middle-aged man, want the youths to know how delicious these small, ball-shaped tsukune are!
